Even Heroes Have the Right to Bleed
by deejaymcknight
Summary: Set after Thessia in ME3. Sometimes even the Savior of the Galaxy has a moment of weakness. Femshep/Ashley possible multi chap.
1. Chapter 1

**I own nothing, if I did...you would know.**

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The last few glimpses that they managed to get of Thessia plagued her mind as her armor clattered loudly to the floor of her cabin. Shepard had been wounded, thankful for the dark color of her armor, human blood wasn't easily detected. Liara had excused herself as soon as they were off the shuttle, her usual inquisitive and wondering eyes void of all emotion as she stepped into the elevator. Jane knew that look, it was the same one on ever human's face that had survived the take over of Earth.

With a final tug of her shoulder gauntlet she cried out, throwing it with a biotics laced lob at the hull of the ship where it fell with a loud clatter. The usual pristine white of her tank top darkened and sticky with blood. Her nose scrunched as she tried in vain to rotate her shoulder, only earning a cry from her lips. Whatever was lodged in there, whatever rounds Leng had been using...they did their trick.

How could she go down to the medbay though? Just stroll down and get treatment for this. A flesh wound compared to what was happening to the rest of her species. Processed into grey matter, fed into those monsters; mercilessly. What gave her the right to anything but that? She was human afterall, she was Earthborn, she wasn't anything special.

'A hero'. Many would tell her, and she's bite her tongue in an effort not to laugh in their face. A 'hero' wouldn't have gotten their ship blown up and gotten themselves killed. A 'hero' wouldn't have sided with an enemy who's ideas painted Humans as the superior race, a bunch of xenophobic maniacs on a quest for dominance. A 'hero' wouldn't have wiped out 300,000 Batarians and then reasoned with herself that what she did was right, what she did was warranted. Those weren't the acts of a hero...no matter how many nights she'd stayed up trying to convince herself otherwise.

The telltale of the elevator stopping at her floor had the redhead staring at her door.

"Commander."

"Yes, EDI?"

"Lieutenant Commander Williams is requesting an audience with you. Shall I allow her access?"

"No."

"Very we-"

"Skipper! I hear you in there. Just let me in." The pressing voice of the brunette came through the door and Jane's brow raised just slightly. Leave it to Ash to try and press an order.

Scanning the room for a moment, Shepard's eyes caught her N7 hoodie. Trying to put it on proved an impossible task as she nearly sobbed in pain as her shoulder moved.

"Lock. Disengage." She mumbled miserably, sitting on the edge of her bed with her elbow resting against her knee. Her left arm tucked closely to her body, an automatic gesture to protect her injury. As soon as Ashley was in the room, her eyes fell into a look of...enlightenment almost.

"I knew it." She said softly, shaking her head as her arms crossed over her chest.

"Knew what?" Shepard spat back, eyes narrowing a bit. She really did hate the smug air that now filled the room. She preferred her self pity more.

Williams crossed the room, grabbing the chair by the coffee table to sit directly across from Shepard. "I knew you were injured. Smelled the blood the second my helmet came off."

Shepard made a face, blinking a few times as she stared at the woman in front of her. "That..is a level of disgusting and or creepy that I can't even begin to comprehend." Sighing softly she licked her lips and continued to eye the former Chief in front of her. "So you came up here to gloat? Another time, Williams."

This earned a laugh from Ashley, causing Shepard's brow to furrow in confusion for a moment. "Not this time, Skip. I came down to make sure you get to the med bay and get that shoulder checked out. Leaving it like that for too long could lead to some...messy stuff. I've seen pictures." The brunette's head shook from side to side a few times, as if to erase the images that surfaced at the mention of the injury. "Anyways, come on. Up you go, Chakwas is expecting you."

"No." Shepard growled out in a tone that had the seated woman standing and stepping back a little bit.

"Pardon for the insubordination, but why the hell not?" Ashley growled back, a similar, albeit less menacing tone.

Shepard stood at this, a little too fast for her own liking as the momentum shifted her shoulder painfully. "Because _Williams_, I don't deserve it." Her words dripped acid, a tone that would have a lesser person walking out of the room with their tail between their legs. It was probably a good thing Ashley was a Marine then, wasn't it?

"You don't deserve it? I..what?" The words were almost ridiculous to the other woman, trying to understand this current thought process had her head almost hurting.

"Did a stutter? You heard me. Now leave me alone. That's an order." Shepard's eyes swirled the usual gray with a hint of red that still hadn't gone away from Cerberus' implants.

Ashley didn't back down once again, keeping her ground as she lifted her head. "You may be the CO of this ship, but you don't outrank me anymore, Shepard. So respectfully ma'am? I'll be disobeying that order." This earned another growl out of Shepard as she continued her heavy gaze.

Dark eyes met angry ones as the two stared at one another until Ashley's hand came up to rest against Jane's cheek. The sudden touch had Shepard jumping a bit, her jaw tightening.

"What did you mean when you said you didn't deserve it?" Ashley asked, her previous tone completely gone as she studied the face of the woman in front of her. This earned a sigh and a slow shake of her head, the brunette keeping a steady hand on the redhead.

"I deserve some kind of pain after everything I've done. I deserve something. Worlds are being lost. Planets! And what the hell am I doing? Playing bureaucratic puppet in meetings and summits. _Billions_ are dead, and there's not a damn thing I can do about it." Her words dropped to a whisper as her eyes lowered the heat and died down to their regular color. "This all seems like one of those nightmares that seem to go on forever. I don't feel anymore. Not when it comes to these...sick decisions. Sacrifice a couple hundred thousand here for a couple million there. Send good men and women to their death for a slim opening that _might _lead us _somewhere_ that can be helpful. It's Torfan all over again."

Ashley used this moment to look down. Torfan. She'd read the reports, she'd heard the stories of the troops who came out alive. The way they described Shepard, the cold, ruthless biotic leading a siege that would've probably killed the entire team under any other command. A woman who put a pistol to the head of ever Batarian she could as she pulled the trigger with ease, a sick smile across her face towards the end.

That wasn't the Shepard that she knew, not all the time really. In the heat of a battle she caught glimpses. When a firefight got heavy and the Vanguard would charge in and dismantle enemies with her bare hands, Ash would hear a laugh filter through the comms. It chilled her to the bone most of the time but she'd gotten used to it. She knew Shepard was different when she was out of her armor. Sarcastic, humorous, adventurous and cunning. Things that made Shepard so...Shepard. Things Ashley had come to love.

"It isn't Torfan." She said suddenly, lifting Jane's face so they were looking at one another. "You listen to me because I'm saying all of this once. You've made some choices in the past that might seem questionable now..but in the moment they were what you believed were right. They were for the bigger picture, they were for the galaxy's betterment. You focus on those you've lost...but what if you focused on those you saved? Those parents who have another day with their child, the lovers who have another night to lay in one anothers arms. The worlds that have fallen aren't on your shoulders. They weren't under your watch. You have your mission, and you're carrying it out exactly as you should be. Their. Deaths. Aren't. On. You." She emphasized each word, staring at Shepard for a response.

It was quiet in the cabin, aside from the constant hum of the fish tank. The two shared the same breath for a moment before Jane broke off and turned sharply, allowing herself to cry out in exasperation. "Yes they are! Can't you see that?" A laugh escaped her lips, no humor behind it. "That's what being the 'Savior of the Galaxy' comes with! Those kids who lost their parents? In ten years, if we make it that far? They'll still be blaming me. Those partners mourning the loss of the most important person in their life will curse my name for not protecting what was sacred to them. It's on me whether I like it or not." She hit the bed hard with a defeated sigh, allowing her head to drop for a moment.

"Robert Green Ingersoll once sai-"

"I'm not in the fucking mood for a quote, Williams." Shepard spat.

"Too bad. Because you're gonna hear one. '_When the will defies fear, when duty throws the gauntlet down to fate, when honor scorns to compromise with death - that is heroism.'_ Do you understand that, Skipper?" Ashley stood in the same spot as before, her hands tucked behind her back.

"No, but I assume you'll tell me how this pertains to me though." She was used to this by now..it didn't mean she liked it anymore at this point.

"The things you've done, Shepard...they're that of legends. Stories that will be passed on from generation to generation. Things others would've cowered away from, you rush head on with a fire that made people follow you into a damn suicide mission! You've followed orders that others would abandon because you don't let a mission go unfinished. You-"

"I get the point." This earned her a glare and a slug to her good shoulder, which in turn earned a smirk from the redhead.

"Let me finish."

Giving an exaggerated signal to move along, Ashley nodded.

"You gave your life so that you could ensure the safety of your entire crew. You could've fought to get into that pod with Joker. You had your helmet on, he could've handled waiting that little extra time. But you wouldn't have any of that. A good Captain goes down with their ship, and you did so honorably. So don't sit here and tell me you deserve pain. You're a hero, Shepard. And you will be for eons to come. No matter what happens within the next few weeks or months." The brunette finished off her speech, taking the seat beside Shepard once more. Reaching between them she laced their fingers together and gave her hand a small squeeze. "So come on. Please? Come with me to the Medbay, get checked out and then I'll leave you alone. Marine's honor."

Jane's eyes moved from focusing on the ground in front of her to looking at their joined hands. Her thumb moved back and forth slowly, skimming the oddly soft skin of the soldier's hand in hers. She didn't speak at first, instead studying the linked hands, the difference between their skin tones, the sizes overall, how _warm _she felt right now from a simple handhold. For the first time since she'd been 'reinstated' back on Earth everything felt a little lighter. She didn't feel like she was alone in all of this for once, even though she constantly had a ship full of people behind her.

Shepard let out a slow breath, blinking a few times before nodding. "Fine. But on one condition." She said simply, earning a brow raise from the brunette.

"Continue..." Ashley said, staring at the CO inquisitively.

"After the getting checked out thing...don't leave me alone?" The lieutenant commander was a bit taken back by what she saw..or rather heard. Any traces of the woman who led the assault on Torfan, any glimpse she'd ever caught of the cold and calculating military mind, even the slightest hint of the Shepard that the rest of the universe knew...was gone. This wasn't Commander Shepard talking to her. This was Jane. A woman just like her.

"I think that can be arranged." She responded softly, standing and leading the Commander to the elevator.

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**I was thinking I might be able to stretch this out to a multi chapter but that depends on the reviews I get on it at the moment. I'll keep the story opened for two weeks or so, see what you guys say and if you like it, I'll keep going.**

**Also, excuse any errors you might find. I have no beta and most of my writing happens after sleepless nights.**


	2. Chapter 2

I'm sorry this update took so long, but I didn't want to half ass it. As I've said before, I don't own Mass Effect, or the characters.

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Chakwas was waiting just as Ash had said she would be when the two stepped off of the elevator and onto third deck. Shepard had long given up on trying to hide the injury at this rate, realizing that it was futile in present company. The entire elevator ride down, Ashley had thrown a somewhat satisfied grin in her direction, though she couldn't find it in herself to find it annoying, or to make a quip about the situation. Instead she remained quiet, a feat Shepard wasn't aware she could pull off.

The silence wasn't bad, unlike most that left you suffocating and scratching at the door to get out after a few moments. This fact didn't escape Ash in the least bit. Growing up (and well into her adult life) she was a bit awkward. Not painfully so, but coming up with the right thing to say always seemed to evade her. She borrowed words from writers long dead and used them to fill the space when a situation was too quiet for her. Having a pack of sisters running around made you all too used to a noise laden atmospheres and when the noise left...she'd always want it filled as soon as possible.

Shepard on the other hand was different. When she needed to be, she was the very essence of sociable. Ready to talk and listen for hours at the drop of a hat if that's what the situation called for. Other than that however, she was quiet. Not unapproachable but kept to herself in a manner. She didn't need words. She had her thoughts and those kept her more than occupied. When she'd fist met Ashley, the girl made her uniform itch with how much she spoke when the formalities slipped away. After a while she grew used to it and even looked forward to it. The quotes, the paragraphs of old writers, Jane read a few once she enlisted but that Gunnery Chief with her smooth tone made them come to life and with that between them...even the quiet wasn't so bad.

When the elevator came to a slow stop on deck three, the two women eased themselves out. As if on instinct alone, Ash positioned herself on Jane's good side with a hand just below her elbow to guide her to the med bay.

The Commander wanted to pipe up and say it wasn't necessary, that she could walk fine and that she was only doing this so Ashley would leave her alone. She wanted to say this but every objection died on her lips. Instead she kept quiet and followed the rest of the way in silence. The pain was nothing that a bottle of whiskey and a night of sleep couldn't cure in her eyes but if she knew the woman beside her and the one in the med bay (which she did), she knew she was alone on this side of the argument.

When the door closed with the telltale sound of the lock reengaging, Shepard took the time to actually look around. Beside one of the beds lay a tray of instruments that left her feeling queasy. With a quick turn her head shook in an animated fashion that had Ash biting her lip in laughter.

"You promised..." She chided gently, tilting her head to the side as her hand came to rest on the commander's good shoulder. "Get on the table, let the doctor fix you up and stop being a baby...ma'am." The lighthearted teasing could only go so far, Ashley was still a bit intimidated by the woman in front of her.

Jane grumbled unintelligibly in the direction of the former Chief before another voice joined them from behind her.

"What was that, Commander?" Chakwas interrupted with a soft smirk before it pulled into a gentle scowl at the sight of Jane's shoulder. "What am I going to do with you?" The question seemed rhetorical so she kept her mouth shut and pulled herself up onto the table with a grimace.

Ashley stayed during the procedure, though her stomach revolted at the sight of marred flesh and the sounds of a stubborn woman getting a bullet fragment dug out of an opened wound with no anesthetic. She knew of Shepard's checkered past with drugs but this was a bit ridiculous, denying something to dull a pain she knew far too well hurt even _with_ aide.

Regardless, Chakwas wouldn't let her leave without a dose of painkillers, knowing that the night that she faced would go much smoother if she had something to calm her down when her implants began to fire off and heal muscle and sinew. For that the brunette was thankful. She was more than happy to stay with the Commander as she had promised, but a docile Shepard was eons better than a hostile one.

What she hadn't expected was how quickly the woman beside her would be effected by the pills. It seemed as though she was a completely different woman then the one William's had walked in on earlier. Quiet laughter as absolutely nothing broke the silence of the elevator ride, a somewhat dopey smile thrown her way when she acknowledged it. She found herself chuckling softly right along with the situation, guiding the Commander into her quarters.

"EDI, make sure no one disturbs Shepard, please. Any message forward to me and any visitors will have to wait until she wakes up." The computerized voice agreed and signed Ashley out, while Shepard stared at her in comical awe.

"Williams." She whispered as if she had some big galactic secret to share. "You totally Commander'd the fuck out of that!" The sentence tumbled from her lips laced with a case of uncontrollable laughter. Her nose scrunched adorably at the word she seemed to make up, mouthing it a few times before shrugging and agreeing to keep it in her vocabulary.

"If something happens to me, I know that my girl is in good hands." She continued as she sobered up a bit, gesturing around her as if to drive the point home that her 'girl' was the Normandy. Again she leaned over, her hand grasping at the Lieutenant Commander's arm. "Don't let Joker tell you otherwise, she's mine." She said with a nod, laying down to allow her floating mind to succumb to the pills she'd been given. "Jus' like you."

The last statement was more or less mumbled, but Ashley heard it cleaner than an order screamed in her face. She kept her serene gaze though, resting her hand over the one resting on her arm. "Aye, ma'am." She breathed, bringing the hand gently down to rest on the bed before posting herself against the headboard in silence. Chakwas said she'd be loopy, and out of it once she finally fell asleep; which meant that the conscious woman in the room had ample time to be alone with her thoughts...and the drug induced meanderings of her Commander.


	3. Chapter 3

I own nothing and also, this story MAY get a change of rating...if you guys are into that kinda thing~

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Although she was being tugged mercilessly by the grabby hands of the pain killers that Chakwas had given her, Shepard was still vaguely aware of everything that was happening around her. This included the things she was saying, even if she didn't have very much (or any) control over the words. As her eyes drifted closed and she gave herself over to the damn pull, her mind worked in overdrive to process _where the hell_ that had come from. Ash was her friend, her comrade, one of the few people she could readily trust to take a bullet for her...someone who had done a hell of a lot more than that for her.

But hers? While Jane wasn't a frequent offender of relationships and really anything that entailed something that would resemble one...she knew what that meant. Why did it happen? Why did she say it? She couldn't pick it apart, but she knew that the woman who was sitting beside her had her mind running at a similar speed; if not faster. Maybe she'd brush it off and blame the pain killers...but Shepard knew she wouldn't be that lucky. Eventually this, as everything else did would come back to bite her in the ass.

While the shit storm that was the Commander's mind went on, molten brown eyes stared at her drifting form intently. Ashely couldn't string a coherent thought together at the moment, but she supposed that was okay...it wasn't like they'd be talking at any point soon _or ever if I can help it._ She shook her head at that particular thought, realizing that she had to stop doing that. She'd never been one to actually get involved in her feelings. About everything else in the verse? Yes. But not about love, about...things like that. It was always messy. She had watched her sisters over the years with boyfriends and crushes and broken hearts. They'd tease her and ask her why she was always single and she'd quip back that she was married to the brass. Now in the silence, she wondered just how long that marriage would stay strong.

She admired Shepard, she admired the hell out of her. The fire in her eyes, the sureness in her attitude. The way she would take the lead in a situation where others would run in the other direction. The way she put everyone before herself, no matter how hazardous the outcome may be. She thought back to earlier in the day, when she'd first come up to make sure that she was alright. No other Commander with the amount of years Shepard had under her belt would think the way she was. Selfless. If the brunette had to think of a word to describe the sleeping woman beside her, that would be the one that always came to mind and if there was one thing that Ashley Willams admired, it was pure selflessness.

Of course this didn't mean that it didn't drive her up the wall whenever she saw Jane take off into a firefight with her biotics blazing and no spoken-of plan. She always _had _a plan, everyone knew that...but it didn't mean she always shared it. They were usually left with a 'wait here' or a 'I got this' before they watched her retreating form take off to do whatever it is that she would be doing. Usually it worked, and on a rare occasion their guns wouldn't even have a chance to unfold before she was walking back over with a satisfied smirk. On a rare occasion they'd have to storm in and save her ass from some unspeakable terror or another but even in those times, she still had that same confidence. The confidence that Willams hated and loved all at the same time.

Love. There was that word again. Did she love Shepard? She had nothing to base it off of. She loved her parents, she loved her sisters, she loved her friends; of course she loved the Commander. But did she _love _her. Was she _in _love with her? How does someone figure that out? Especially someone in their unique circumstance, was this even a place for something like that? She'd heard the scuttlebutt over the years about Shepard and Liara, back on the SR1 above all else. When she'd been with Cerberus, the people she kept in contact with mentioned the Asari again but it seemed as though whatever they had back in the beginning was gone. Being back now...she couldn't tell. Were they a thing? Were they just friends? Why the hell did she care and why did she suddenly feel like a high schooler gossiping about her crush.

"Fuck." She hadn't realized that she'd spoken out loud until an automated voice rang through the room, with it's volume turned thankfully down.

"Is everything alright, Lieutenant Commander?" EDI spoke, mindful of the light sleeping Shepard beside her. Doctor Chakwas had informed the former AI that their CO would probably be in an uninterrupted sleep for the next few hours, but she could never be too sure with humans.

The brunette glanced up at the speaker as if to maintain eye contact with the voice, scrunching her eyebrows at the gesture before she shook her head. "Yeah, EDI. I'm fine. Thanks. Let me know when the crew is finished up with dinner. Before the skeleton crew logs in. I'll get the Skipper up and try to get some food in her." She found herself smiling softly at the old nickname, noting on the piling up list in her mind just how nicely it rolled off the tongue. While it wasn't very traditional, it's where everything started.

A few moments after getting the confirmation, she logged EDI off and settled a bit into the pillow behind her, tucking her hands behind her head to glance up through the window above them. This was a view to kill for, one she certainly didn't get from her own bed, even though the window in the observation deck was close enough if she ever felt too cramped to get some shut eye. The vast openness was something she marveled at, ever since she was a kid. While it made her feel small, it made her feel an unnamed feeling as well. That opportunities were endless, anything could happen with _that_ much space. A quiet bookworm with a strong upbringing could become a solider, she could bring honor back to a last name tarnished though actions long before her time. That the galaxy could be saved time and time again by a woman whom society once looked down upon. And her last fleeting thought before she found herself drifting off to the constant flow of stars and darkness was that maybe, just maybe, those same two people in her mind could possibly be something more than two soldiers bonded in the fire of battle.


	4. Chapter 4

I own nothing, review even if you hate it.

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Being the oldest in the family came with some responsibilities, especially in the Williams clan. When her little sister's had nightmares they would find themselves in Ashley's room before they would go to their mother; it just always worked out that way. Over the years the eldest developed a certain skill, a new sense almost. She could tell when someone was studying her while she was sleeping, be it waiting for the brunette to scoot over and wrap her arms around a scared child to make the dreams go away...or a now painkiller free Commander propped up on her elbow beside her.

"Skipper you're staring." She mumbled, not willing to open her eyes yet. Surely the stare could only mean one thing. Shepard remembered what she had said before she was asleep and now she wanted to talk. Of course she wanted to talk, any sane person would want to figure out what the babbling had meant, if it was just the drugs talking or some deeper meaning. Ashley on the other hand wasn't all that sane right now. She didn't want to face it, she didn't want things to grow awkward between them; not at this point of the mission (or ever if she was completely honest). Shepard's head needed to be in the game, not in the clouds with thoughts of love or something as trivial as that.

There was a quiet laugh beside her before the mattress bent again just slightly.

"Sorry, Chief." The old title was going to be a hard one to shake, but Ash didn't mind it so long as Shepard was the one calling her it. Her eyes opened slowly, blinking a few times to bring things into focus before she turned her head and sat up against her hands to stretch her shoulder muscles a little bit.

A quiet groan of approval left her lips before she could stop it, ducking her head with a shy smile moments later when she realized it had been out loud. "Sorry, Skip. Your bed's just _really _comfortable. Don't think I slept this good since...well since before I enlisted." She grinned a bit, bringing one of her hands up to scratch behind her neck when a silence fell between them once more. It wasn't the same comfortable silence they usually had, this one left something looming, the unspoken words they knew one of them had to say eventually.

Before either of them could speak, the automated voice of EDI rung through the cabin and both women let out a sigh of relief under their breath.

"Commander, Doctor Chakwas inquired about your condition and wanted to let you know that she is on her way up to make sure that your bandages are changed correctly. Lieutenant Williams, she asks that you stay as well in order to show you the correct way to go about changing them."

"Thank you EDI, you can allow the doctor entrance when she gets here." Shepard responded, looking at Ashley with a small shrug. Apparently their talk would have to wait, though she had a feeling she wasn't the only one who was a bit thankful for this. It wasn't that she didn't want to talk, she just wasn't sure what to say. How does one justify the thing that she had said? Blame it on the painkillers? While it was their fault for her loose lips, the words weren't completely misplaced. But what did they actually mean? What was it that she felt for her teammate and now XO? She'd go to the ends of the galaxy for the woman beside her, but then again she would do that for any one on her team. She helped them all in their hardest times and in turn they followed her into hell and back without batting a lash.

But there was something else here, there had to be. She wouldn't have said something like that had it been James who came to see her, or Garrus, or any of the rest of the crew. She said it about Ashley, and if she thought back through the time that they'd known one another, she could see the pattern. If one would even call it that. Going to see her more often then others on the SR1, drinking her sorrows away the night after Horizon on the SR2 after that look in those brown eyes...she shook her head. They were past that. They'd gotten past it on Mars and had been working towards 'okay' again. Her working with Cerberus had shattered their friendship and she'd do anything in her power to make it better. Ashley had to know that...she just had to, otherwise she wouldn't have gotten back on the Normandy after the siege on the Citadel.

While the Commander's mind managed to slip away from her, Ashley sat there and embraced the silence once more. She could practically _hear _the cogs in the other woman's brain turning, studying her face for any tells into her thoughts. Were they good things? Was she regretting what she said and thinking of a way to backpedal it? Or worse, was she formulating some grand speech to proclaim her love to a woman who could barely figure out her own feelings. By this time, thanks to the bit of sleep she'd managed to steal, Ash was a bit more clear headed towards the whole situation. She knew there was something more then camaraderie between them. How much more and if it was returned was beyond her but at least now she actually knew what she was dealing with. They'd simply have to wait until Chakwas left to actually talk about it.

The woman in question walked in moments later, a smile on her face and an armload full of supplies that Shepard just _knew _wouldn't mean fun times for her. At least the bobbing for bullet fragments portion of the evening was over. Still, when the wound was exposed to the air and cleaned again, her hand reached out blindly; caught by a tight grip from beside her that had her head snapping in the direction of Ashley. The brunette was smiling at her, a small smile that soothed her more than any topical creams the doctor could provide. That warmth that spread through her when she saw it should've made her nervous, it wasn't something she'd ever really felt before...but she didn't mind it right now. Instead she silently wondered to herself how it would feel if that was something she constantly had...and found herself realizing that she'd be completely okay with it.

Ashley on the other hand wasn't sure where the handhold had come from. She saw Shepard panicking and reacted, that's what it had to be. Nothing more nothing less...if only she could convince herself of that fact. Truth was, she wanted to help. However she could, to make sure that the red head beside her was free of pain. If not free of it, then at least distracted from it enough to focus on something else. If it was her hand then so be it, but at least she wouldn't be fidgeting and making this whole process go worlds slower.

It didn't take much longer for Chakwas to finish up, her instructions easy enough to follow for the next time that the arm needed redressing. Shepard wouldn't be able to do it alone, not with the meticulous cleaning that a wound such as the one she'd gotten required. Ashley didn't have a problem lending a hand, if it meant keeping the woman beside her at her best she'd do just about anything...even if she had a small aversion to blood.

As the door slid closed again, the two women in the room looked at one another and a silent battle began as to who would speak first. After a few moments, Shepard opened her mouth, hoping that the words would just come to her naturally. She was Commander Shepard for christ sakes, her speeches were that of legend!

"So uh, painkillers are pretty crazy, huh."

Yep, legend.

She shook her head, chuckling as she ducked it for a moment before lifting her eyes once more and focusing on the brunette.

"This is supposed to be easy for me. Talking. I've gotten pretty good at it over the years. It's different this time though, and not just because I don't have a mini nuke strapped to my back." She smirked, feeling a bit calmer when she was met with a soft laugh. "I don't take back what I said, Ash. I'm not gonna apologize and say that I didn't mean it in some way, shape or form. I know that you aren't _mine_. Not in that sense, but I also know that I'd be lying if I said there was nothing there. I don't know what it is, I'm not good with stuff like this...it's not really my forte but I can't lie. I feel for you, something that is far past two people who've seen a lot of crazy shit together. Our situation is unique and I know that this mission is one that can't be put on the back burner...but I also feel as though whatever _this _is..." she motioned between them to highlight her point before continuing "shouldn't be ignored...please tell me I'm not the only one here."

For the first time in a long time, Jane Shepard was nervous. In the midst of battle, among the flames and bullets she could be the very definition of confident. She'd felt fear before, all the greats have, but nerves were never really her thing. This wasn't the same though, this was something deeper then her fight or flight kicking in as she stared down death for the third time in a week.

The words flowed through the former Chief, rolling around in her mind for a bit as she digested them and let them hit her completely. She wasn't the only one who thought there was something there, and from what she was hearing...Shepard wanted to explore it. Her heart was racing as the conclusion came to her and the brunette found herself smiling more and more as it settled in. She was terrified, beyond terrified but as she looked down at their still interlocked hands she realized that she wasn't the only one who was. And she also realized that she wasn't alone. Darting her tongue over her lips she leaned forward hesitantly and brushed their lips together in the briefest of kisses. Although the touch was gone almost as soon as it had come, it sent a shock through her system that awoke her and enticed her all at once. By now her smile had almost doubled, fighting against it would be useless at this point.

"I'm willing to try and figure out what it is if you are, Skipper."

Shepard grinned in return, leaning in to steal a kiss of her own before pulling away and giving the hand in hers a soft squeeze.

"This should be fun." Earning another laugh from the woman beside her calmed her down more, her heart no longer racing as badly as it had been moments before.

Reaching up to tuck a stray area of red hair behind the Commander's hair, Ashley stood up and folded her arms over her chest. "Well then we'll do some more figuring out once you get up and grab some food before the night crew is on duty. The mess is free and I promised that you would eat before you took another dose of those pain killers. We don't need you proposing marriage or something because you took them on an empty stomach." It was her turn to smirk, especially when the red head shot up from the bed with a scowl before trudging to the door so they could go down a few decks.

This would be an interested journey indeed.


	5. Chapter 5

Review even if you hate it. Trying to decide how I want them to proceed with their relationship. I have some ideas but this one was bouncing around and I wanted to write it.

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Though the mess hall was free of it's usual inhabitants, the crew had prepared some food for the late shift that would be coming on within the hour. Already people were starting to slowly filter in, mumbling about coffee and poking at whatever concoction sat in front of them. Once she had Shepard seated at one of the tables, Ashley threw together two trays. Her own just so she had something in her system and the calorie laden one that Jane's biotic background required. The solider always marveled at just how much her Commander could truly pack away while looking the way she did; though she assumed that the whole borderline suicidal vanguard antics she got up to in battle burned away everything she ate like it was a brisk walk in the park.

With the two trays barely balanced she took the seat across from Shepard and pushed one in her direction. "Eat up, pretty sure the Doc is watching you through the window...don't turn around." She warned with a shake of her head and a groan as she watched the red-head already begin to avert her eyes towards the med bay. "You Earth kids really suck at subtle." Earning a growl in return she couldn't help but grin, tearing the cereal bar in front of her into smaller pieces. She wasn't all that hungry but she figured if she made an effort to eat, Jane would too and they'd be able to get her back up to her room and resting in no time at all.

Of course, it only took a few forkfuls of whatever this meal was for the Commander to realize just how hungry she was. It had to be more than twenty-four hours since she last ate, never really sitting down for a meal before a big mission. With the overuse of her amps on Thessia, the meeting with the doctor, her passing out and what unfolded before and after; she was starving. At first she tried to pace herself, she really did but it was no use and soon about half the plate was gone. Ashley watched on in pure amusement, knowing that her gaze was barely registered by the woman using her fork as a shovel at this rate. This, the woman whom mere minutes before made her almost speechless with sweet words, now seemed to be in an eating contest with a krogan. She'd witnessed it before, on the SR-1. Shepard against Wrex; to say it wasn't a pretty sight would be the understatement of the century and yet she somehow found this endearing. Maybe she'd taken too many concussive shots to the helmet.

Somewhere between downing the remainder of her first energy drink and damn near licking her plate clean, Shepard realized she was being watched. The crew themselves were more interested in waking up before they blew a hole in the hull or something along those lines but one pair of eyes stayed on her. Ashley. Her XO, her comrade, her teammate her...girlfriend? What was this, high school? They hadn't discussed a 'title' between them, hell they'd barely discussed a 'them' at all but she supposed that something like that would be brought up eventually. Might as well get it over with now before they put it off for too long.

"So...what are we?" She asked, lifting her head to see a somewhat surprised Williams sitting across from her. With a quick glance down at the tray in front of her she realized just how ravenous she must've seemed. A weak chuckle left her accompanied with a shrug of her good shoulder. "I was hungry." She added as an afterthought, which was merely responded to with a nod and a bit of a smile. Why hadn't she realized that she really liked Ash's smile before? She really needed to stop charging into things headfirst; it was clouding her judgement. That was a damn good smile.

Ash paused in her dissecting of her cereal bar to fold her hands in front of her. So this talk was actually happening. Wasn't the worst thing she could think of, it was just something she'd never had experience with. "I...can't really be sure. I mean, it's not like those old Earth movies with letterman's and pins and something about going steady. That's all just..." she shook her head, unable to find the right word to put with her thoughts.

"Completely corny?" Shepard offered with a quirked grin, causing the Lieutenant Commander to laugh and run a hand through her hair.

"Yeah, that. We're...us. Same people we were this morning just...with a little added extra. Bonus features I guess." She shrugged, unlacing her fingers to go back to her original task.

"So now we're vids. Awesome." Again, that grin had her ducking her head like some schoolgirl with a case of the giggles, something she rectified with a clearing of her throat and a shake of her head.

Whatever awkwardness she'd feared would come between them with all of this wasn't present. There was a different air about the situation, she could feel that much. Something had shifted between them and while she didn't know what it was just yet, she knew she'd look forward to figuring it out. "I guess we're just together. Partners, companions...no, that sounds...no. Nevermind that." Okay, so maybe there was a little bit of awkward; but coming from two people who weren't well versed in relationships that was an impressive feat.

"Ashley Williams, are you asking me to be your..." Shepard pulled a face of faux shock, a hand over her heart; knowing that a slap was coming her way for this. "girlfriend? Oh my!"

Annnnd there was the slap.

Sitting back against her seat she barked out a laugh, tossing the wrapper from her food towards the unamused brunette who simply caught it and threw it back; a mini food fight breaking out between the two of them.

"Do I have to send you two to your rooms?" The gravel laced voice that could only belong to their favorite Turian broke through their bubble as they both looked up with innocent grins towards Garrus. "I don't even wanna know." His hands went up and he continued towards the counter to go about getting himself some form of breakfast as well.

They broke out into laughter, finding the situation clearly more amusing than they should. As the laughs died down a bit later, Ashley sobered up first, a smile still gracing her features as she leaned against the table and studied Shepard for a moment. "So what's the answer? Are you my girlfriend or no?" Butterflies that felt more like seeker swarms were raging in her stomach as she tried in vain to keep her cool while she waited for an answer.

"I mean, I guess so..." Shepard shrugged noncommittally before winking and giving the brunette a nudge under the table with her foot. "The hell do you think my answer was gonna be, Williams. Take a breath." Popping the tab on her second energy drink she sat back again, taking a sip before speaking again. "One condition..." she started, watching the woman squirm.

"And what's that?"

Taking another sip to wash down the painkillers she'd been instructed to take, she stood from her spot at the table and brought their trays to the trash to dispose of them. Out of the corner of her eye she watched the other woman follow behind her a few paces away; waiting to see what she was planning to say.

"I want a letterman. Medium, please." This of course earned her another slap to the arm as she took off towards the elevator with a laugh; taking the select expletives thrown her way as the only hint she needed that Ash was coming back to her cabin with her.


	6. Chapter 6

Review even if you hated it. Coming soon, a mission, some more heart to hearts and of course; some lovely smutty goodness.

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It was going to take some getting used to, this sleeping with someone in the same room as her once more. Back on the SR1, back when they were all galaxy savers on a mission to stop a madman, things were different. Her sleep was lighter, Liara was never woken up. The years had caught up on her however, and Shepard rarely found herself sleeping for more than a few hours without jolting awake from a nightmare. It had become abundantly clear that the brunette wasn't going anywhere tonight and while she welcomed the company with opened arms during her waking hours, the Commander was terrified about what could possibly happen when their sleep cycle kicked in.

Maybe the painkiller thing would work again, she'd be able to get a full nights sleep thanks to those little pills resting beside the bed. No nightmares, no terrifying images that made her break into a cold sweat, just...darkness. It was almost welcoming at this rate, but at the same time it made her uneasy. Would she be relying on pills until all of this was over? Would it put a damper on her fighting? She hadn't seen the outside of the ship since Thessia and the downtime was all well and good but eventually she'd have to get back to the action. What was the old Earth saying? "There's no rest for the wicked"? It wasn't just her own life in her hands this time, nor had it been anytime before this but now...well now the possibilities were far more terrifying than Cerberus or the Collectors. This was galaxy wide termination they were facing. She had no time to sit around high because she was afraid of some night terrors.

The two pills held her gaze for a few moments before she shook her head and focused on the brunette now emerging from the bathroom with a bit of a smile on her face. She returned it as best as she could but the moment her eyes connected with the ones looking back at her she cursed silently and knew she was caught. Ashley approached her cautiously, picking up the bandages Chakwas had left behind when she changed the one on her shoulder earlier.

"Shirt off, Skipper." The former Chief ordered, resting her free hand on her hip as she shook her head with a soft laugh at the wiggling brows thrown her way while Shepard maneuvered out of her shirt carefully.

"You know, usually people have to at least buy me a drink before they get me out of my clothes. I expect one from you soon, Chief." Even if she was long passed that title, Ashley would always be _her _Chief and that's what mattered. At least the worried look was gone, replaced with an eye roll as she was slugged in her good shoulder and the slightly shorter woman settled onto her lap to replace the bandage the way she had been shown.

Careful hands removed the one that rested over the wound, both noses scrunching up as it was peeled from her skin. "First you want a letterman, now you want a drink? Never let it be said that Commander Shepard is a cheap date." She laughed softly as she passed the bandage between both hands, wrapping it around a toned arm until it was secure and good for the rest of the night.

Shepard used this time to her advantage, leaning forward to press a few errant kisses to the other woman's neck, the sudden stiffness of her back taken as a sign of composure trying to be held. "A medium. Don't forget. And none of those umbrella drinks either. A real drink. Just...no Ryncol. Bad experiences with that." She paused her devious mouth movements to chuckle against the warm skin beneath her lips as she brought back the memory.

"How could I forget? My entire work station was green, sticky and gross for the next half of a day. How Wrex convinced both you _and _Garrus to drink that sludge, I don't know. But I'll be sure to keep both of those things in mind." Balling up the discarded bandages, Ashley tossed them into the bin beside the bed and discarded whatever was remaining onto the nightstand. Shifting herself a bit she licked her lips, focusing her attention now completely on the woman who's lap she had commandeered. "And since when have I ever come across as a girl who drinks umbrella drinks? Ass." The name calling was accompanied by a light hearted grin as she leaned forward and stole the quickest of kisses from the lips in front of her.

Jane smirked when they pulled away from one another, shrugging her good shoulder as she leaned back a little bit, allowing her weight to fall on her stronger arm more than the other one. "I'm not saying you do. I'm just saying that I don't want one so make sure you keep that in mind. Now, no more talks of the drinks you owe me. C'mere." She winked, curling her finger a few times to lure the brunette closer for another kiss. She figured if she went to sleep happy and feeling good then maybe her mind would allow her this night without any sort of horrible images plaguing her. It was a long shot, yeah, but at least the trying part was fun for both of them.

When their lips met again, Shepard was vaguely aware that she was still shirtless. It wasn't a big deal to her, though she did feel a bit underdressed; which is what led to her hand gently tugging a few times at Ashley's shirt. Pulling back enough to speak she licked her lips. "One half naked gal can always use a friend." She singsonged, earning a laugh and a peeled off shirt moments later. "Much better." She hummed, fingers skimming against now bare skin for the first time. She'd seen Ash without her shirt on often. They were two of three women who actually went on missions (that could use a normal shower), after a day of running around in armor, a hot shower was usually high on the list. Most of the time, she didn't bother waiting to get to her cabin and just used the showers that everyone else used. It wasn't a big deal but until now, she'd never actually _felt _her skin.

It was softer than she had imagined, smooth and delicate; nothing at all like the persona that the woman projected to everyone around her. She understood the need for that, she did the same thing around people. It was natural for a woman in the military, to show herself off as one of the guys to garner the same respect. No matter how far their sex had come in human history, how many advances they were responsible for...they would always be striving to prove themselves. This wasn't about that though, right now it wasn't about anything but the two of them in this room in this very moment. And how insanely amazing Ashley's skin felt beneath her fingertips.

Running them slowly over her ribs, she felt the body against her squirm, a sound that was quite possibly a stifled giggle escaping over her lips that had everything pausing. "Williams, are you..._ticklish?_' The question was met with a quickly shaking head but it was already too late. Shepard's fingers descended against both sides of the body now under attack and the squeak that filled her cabin was all the answer she needed.

Ash was careful not to either A) throttle herself off the bed to escape or B) throw herself into Jane's shoulder even if she deserved it for this pure torture that she was now subjecting her to. "Stop! Stop! I yield. Oh my God I yield!" She cried out between fits of laughter as her eyes rimmed with tears and she tried her best to shimmy away from the wiggling fingers. It took a lot, moves she wasn't even fully aware that she knew and in the back of her mind she wondered if they would ever come in handy for some kind of evasive training she'd have in the future. Standing at the edge of the bed with her hands on her knees and her eyes narrowed at the Commander, she fought to catch her breath while her chest heaved and the woman responsible simply sat there with a grin.

"You suck, you know that right?" She mumbled, standing up straight as she glanced down at her lack of top and huffed. "I hope you know you _totally _blew your shot tonight, Skip. This? Is all you're getting to see. Blame yourself." Her hand gestured up and down her shorts clad body with a shrug of her shoulders as she climbed back into bed and kept a vigilant eye on the hands that jumped at her a few times teasingly.

Shepard tried to pout, she really did, but for the first time since she was reinstated she was happy. Actually happy. The smile was natural, the load felt a little lighter and she could actually breathe without fear of it being the wrong thing to do. "Oh I'm sure if I tried hard enough I could get a second shot." Her brows wiggled again before she winked, sliding down against the bed so her head rested against the pillow. Offering up her good arm with a knitted brow she gave the other woman a grin, one that was sure to melt any ill feelings that may have been left behind by her sneak attack. "I'll be on my best behavior. Promise. Now...come down here, please?" She asked, not above sicking a pair of pouty eyes on the brunette.

After a moment or two of glaring, Ashley melted and sighed, tucking herself into the embrace easily. Her arm came across a bare abdomen, fingers tracing faint scars that remained from years of service and that one pesky time that Shepard died. She was quiet, studying each etch and marking that laid across her lover's body. A faint print caught her eye from just beneath the hem of her shorts, pushing them down just slightly to read off a series of letters and numbers, lifting her head to raise a brow at Jane. "I didn't know you had a tattoo there." She remarked, though she couldn't lie and say she hadn't noticed the others that were well hidden by clothes or armor. She was only human, if she didn't look then there was something serious amiss in her mind.

"It's my Alliance ID. Me and some of the people I met at the academy got them after graduation. Our way of welcoming ourselves into the military life. Got one for my N7 graduation too. And one for the Normandy...both of them." Each important moment in her life had been documented on her skin and when she was brought back to life with the Lazarus project, she'd been scared that they wouldn't make it through but alas, they had; and now someone else knew about them. Jane watched as Ashley nodded and smiled a bit before laying her head back down and going back to her aimless tracing.

"I have a tattoo you know." She spoke up a few minutes later, the Commander chuckling softly as she nodded and licked her lips, her fingers running slow traces up and down a slightly tanned arm.

"'_I am a part of all that I have met.' _ I know. I've seen it. When'd you get it?" She asked, getting a look of surprise when she quoted the tattoo word for word. "What? Tennyson became a favorite of mine after the SR1. I know my stuff." This seemed to earn her point, and a kiss before the girl was curled in her arms once more, getting comfortable.

Tracing fingers stopped as Ash's hand came to rest against Jane's waist, letting out a long breath as she allowed herself to begin to drift off. "Maybe I'll tell you that story another day. For now...sleep." It was filling her voice and Shepard couldn't help but grin when she realized just how adorable it actually was. Even if she had only one night like this a week, one night where she felt like the entire galaxy wasn't resting on her shoulders, one night with this girl in her arms, holding her tightly and keeping her safe...she'd be okay.

"Sleep indeed. I'll see you in a couple of hours, Chief." And with that, she drifted off as well. She couldn't be sure that she wouldn't wake up at some point in the night fighting for her breath, but she knew that if she did...she was in good hands.


	7. Chapter 7

This chapter is rated M, I guess? I mean...lbr, it's smuttyish. If you don't like that...well, don't read that part.

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If her internal clock was right, she had another hour left of her sleep cycle when she felt the twitching beneath her arm. She heard a sound, something she hadn't heard for years, one that Sarah used to make when another bad dream hit her. Ashley's eyes shot open quickly, bringing herself up so that she was resting on her hand, her other one resting precariously on Shepard's good shoulder. She was in the middle of a nightmare, one that didn't seem all too good from this point of view and it was only getting worse. The last time she tried to wake someone up from one of these though, she was rewarded with a black eye from her little sister (completely on accident of course).

She sat back, giving the redhead the space she needed, even if each jerk and cry made the brunette feel like her heart was in a vice. _It'll be over soon_ she kept reminding herself as seconds ticked by. It felt like hours but soon she watched as the woman beside her jerked up into a seated position and stared blankly in front of her. Her chest was heaving, her eyes were wild and her entire body was shaking, but she was awake; the worst was over now.

Reaching up with a slow and steady movement, Ashley rested her hand on Shepard's neck, running it back and forth in a gentle pattern. "Hey...it's okay. It's over now." She spoke softly, the words seeming to register late as a frightened gaze fell upon her own sleepy and worried one."It was just a dream, you're alright. I promise you." This seemed to calm her down, even just slightly it was enough to allow the former chief to breathe a sigh of relief.

Shepard on the other hand could still feel her heart racing, thumping wildly in her chest like a varren trying to get out of it's cage. She had been doing good, with a glance over at the clock she realized she'd missed it by an hour. Almost nightmare free; in fact she'd gone the entire time actually getting real sleep but now...well now her mind was plagued with the whispers and the darkness that were her dreams. She didn't say anything at first, simply nodded and swallowed hard, closing her eyes as she licked her lips and composed herself. "We uh, we're due on the Citadel in three hours. I'm gonna hop in the shower and get ready now. No use in an extra hour of sleep." With a small shrug and a light chuckle she went to get up, only to be stopped by a hand catching hers.

"Can't get the bandage wet. I'll take it off and then you can go." Ash reasoned, watching as the woman sat back down beside her. Careful precision had it off it moments, tossed away with the ones from earlier. "All done, go on." She urged carefully with a smile. "I may just steal the bed for myself, get an extra couple of minutes in. Like I said. Comfortable." To make a point, Ashely rolled around for a moment, wrapping her in sheets as she grabbed at a pillow and tucked it beneath her head.

Jane watched on, now standing at the edge of the bed with a smile. Her mind was still itching from the nightmare but she felt better, just by watching the girl rolling around in front of her. Who knew that someone as hard and military as Ashley Williams had a side like this? She wouldn't have guessed in a million years, but she wasn't complaining, not in the slightest. This made her wonder though, what were her other sides like? She'd seen professional, she'd seen heartfelt, she'd seen courageous and now she'd seen playful. "You could do that..." she began, deciding she'd test the waters so to speak. "Or you could join me. They made the shower insanely too big in the Captain's quarters." She wasn't sure if her own offer was innocent or not, but she knew that there were parts of her that were hoping it was taken as the latter. The sight of brown eyes, once full of sleep now darkened just slightly in curiosity didn't exactly give her an answer, but it gave her a warm build up in her stomach.

"Maybe."

That's it. That's all she got and for a moment she stood there, jaw slightly slacked and eyes blinking before she turned around and just made her way to the bathroom. Had she just been turned down? Or well, maybe'd? It's not like she wasn't used to hearing no, she was in the military for god sakes but still. Maybe her shower would start off a little bit on the chilled side. Shaking her head she maneuvered her way out of the rest of the clothes still on her and typed in the commands for the shower to kick on. She was under the water no more than a few seconds before she felt arms wrap around her from behind a kiss lightly pressed on her wounded shoulder. Shepard gasped at the sudden surprise but melted into the embrace none the less with a small smirk. "What happened to maybe?" She asked, this time getting a nip between her shoulder blades in response.

"I'll get out..." Ash warned, though the words were dead on her lips the moment they left them. She wasn't going anywhere, and that was only solidified when the woman in her arms turned around and got a hold herself; thus pinning the former chief to the ice cold tiles behind her. This elicited a gasp from the brunette and seemed to light a fire inside the redhead who merged their lips together almost instantly. What had started as one way to wake themselves up had turned into something _completely _different. Hands wandered and skin slipped seamlessly together. Ashley's shortened nails drug slowly against Jane's shoulder who hissed in approval at the action, pulling back from the kiss to attack the neck in front of her, fully intending on leaving a mark behind. Screw professionalism, they were on what would probably be a one way mission and no one knew how long they had left. She was going for what she wanted and what she wanted was Ashley begging her for more right now.

This want was fulfilled moments later as she felt a hand lace into her hair roughly pushing her into the brunette's neck to make sure she kept at what she was doing. At the same time she felt the hand previously against her shoulder now skimming down her body. It was slow at first, memorizing curves and dips like a map until it reached it's destination between them. Daring fingers dropped, pulling a moan from the Commander almost instantly that seemed to spur Ashley on. They dipped again, this time coming back up to run tight circles around the bundle of nerves they had found; reducing the usually stoic Commander to a panting mess against her shoulder. A grin played at the brunette's lips as she turned her head, planting a kiss to the other woman's temple. Her fingers slid down once more, this time the return trip wasn't made, instead two slipped quickly and smoothly into her entrance and the redhead cried out.

She swore she was going to shatter into a million pieces, that this was to be her grand undoing and she found that she was completely fine with it. The last partner she'd had was different. Things with Liara were done the Asari way and while it was equally as mind-blowing as the real thing (pun completely intended), there was something missing and now; well now she remembered why she always seemed to be drawn to humans in the long run. Those soft hands that had been holding her's earlier were now hitting all the right spots, making her body arch and twist in pleasure, causing her synapses to fire at an insane pace as she fought and failed to come up with words. Sounds, that was all she could do right now and with each one that escaped, Ashley seemed to push harder and work to get another one out of her. Shepard was gone, her mind in a state of blissful unawareness that she'd so sorely missed. Her body ran on instinct, hands moving to the other woman's waist as her thigh slipped between her legs and she ground the slightly smaller woman down against her; their moans now joining one another's in the steamy air.

They had always moved well on the battlefield together. Like a well rehearsed dance of firepower and biotic talent that meshed to bring them victory. They danced around one another for years off the field, skirting around what had been inevitable thanks to all of the things that had gotten in the way. But here they were, they were together, and this was just sealing the deal. Ashley showing Shepard that she wasn't alone anymore and Shepard showing Ashley that they were in this together. It meant more than a quickie in the shower, and it felt like a hell of a lot more too. They were getting to know one another on a level that was _far _from the previous one they had known each other on. There was no turning back from this and yet both of them seemed to be undeterred by this notion, going in head first until they were collapsing against one another in a mangled mess of short breaths, shivering bodies and insanely huge grins.

Shepard reached blindly behind them, keeping her hold on Ash as she turned the water off and simply held the woman in her arms just a little while longer. She wasn't sure how much time had passed, but she knew that they'd have to start getting ready soon otherwise there'd be a bunch of pissed off bureaucrats waiting for them to arrive. "We should get dressed." She spoke up first, getting a slight grunt and a nod from the former chief.

Ashley stood, legs a bit shaky as she nodded and ran a hand through her hair. "You know, that was completely counter productive, right?" She asked, kinking a brow as she watched Shepard walk out towards her closet to grab something to wear.

The redhead simply smirked, getting her usual together before spotting a uniform that didn't fit her measurements right beside her own. Ash was a sneaky one, she had to admire it though. Pulling the clothes off the rack she turned around and tossed them to the brunette, nodding as she went about getting as dressed as she could before she nodded to get bandaged once more. "Well yeah, but it sure was fun." She added a wink for good measure and grinned widely at the laugh she was given in response.

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Up Next: The Citadel, maybe?


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